


Anadil's Rats

by Hester_Of_Ravenswood



Category: The School for Good and Evil - Soman Chainani
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 12:20:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18282284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hester_Of_Ravenswood/pseuds/Hester_Of_Ravenswood
Summary: That was the first time Dot realized that Anadil's rats... showed more of Anadil's emotions than Anadil herself did.OrAnadil has a crush and her rats rat her out.





	Anadil's Rats

Dot was an observant girl.

Those around her might not see it, but she does.

The truth was in the pudding... well, at least with the pudding-obsessed witch.

But then again the truth was in the rats...

Dot was getting distracted and she forced herself to focus.

The rats was where it had started and where it always circled back to, it seemed.

It all began in their first year, back when Dot thought she was being insane.

Back then, Dot has been worried about her place in the coven (and perhaps rightfully so since they kicked her out of the room for a time that year, but that wasn't the point) and she had been trying to get to know everything she could about her roommates.

Hester had been... well, asking Hester personal questions was like herding cats.

So she decided to use the thing that always led cats to where they were wanted.

Rats.

~

And that's how Dot found herself sitting in Malice room 66 alone with Anadil while Hester went off to write letters to her relatives for the cursed love spell.

"You and Hester seem close," Dot said carefully, licking a bit of fudge she had.

Anadil, who was sat on her bed doing homework, looked up.

She eyed Dot for a moment before shrugging.

"She's the least terrible person in a rotten school, I guess. She's cool."

Dot raised an eyebrow as she watched Anadil go back to her book.

She would have moved onto other, more personal, subjects if she hadn't caught sight of the strangest thing.

Was... was that the slightest bit of pink in Anadil's frightfully pale cheeks?

"I suppose so. With Sophie gone by the end of this year, that'll make Hester Captain, won't it? You think she'll choose you as her henchcaptain?"

That was all Dot had to say to get Anadil to look up again.

There was a long, tense moment of silence.

"Whatever," Anadil finally said, turning back to her books with an air of finality.

Dot raised an eyebrow.

She spoke so levelly, but then Dot caught sight of her rats on the bed beside the albino.

The rats were all scurrying around and playing, but they kept giving Dot anxious looks as if she were about to attack.

That was the first time she realized that Anadil's rats... showed more of Anadil's emotions than Anadil herself did.

But before she got the chance to really consider it, Hester stormed into the room and aggressively flopped onto her bed.

"I'm going to smother that Ever in her sleep," she growled lowly.

Anadil had looked up the moment Hester had walked into the room and hadn't taken her beady red eyes off of her.

"Wake me up when you do so I can watch," Anadil said, closing her Henchmen Training textbook for the first time since Hester had left.

The rats scurried around the bed until they all climbed onto Anadil, watching Hester.

Anadil packed up her supplies while Hester continued to rant about how she was going to dismember Sophie, not looking at the tattooed witch.

But her rats kept looking at her.

Hester didn't seem to notice, but Dot certainly did.

Now why would Anadil's rats be so focused on Hester?

~

The next time Dot really noticed was during the No Ball.

Only Anadil's rats weren't here this time as they'd been killed during the fight after the Circus of Talents.

No, this time it was all Anadil.

The Nevers awkwardly danced together, Vex with Anadil and Hester with Ravan.

Anadil kept peeking over Vex's shoulder to where Ravan was dancing with Hester.

As if that dance was more important than her own.

After a few moments, Hester looked back at her.

Anadil raised an eyebrow and Hester rolled her eyes, giving Ravan a disgusted glare as he looked away from her.

Anadil cackled like the witch she was and Hester smirked.

Vex looked at Anadil and stared, transfixed as she laughed.

Hester gave Vex a venomous glare, practically burning a hole into the back of his head.

When Agatha arrived, the moment seemed ruined.

~

As Agatha kissed Sophie, Dot found herself looking at Anadil and Hester.

Both the girls watched, tears glistening in even Hester's eyes, and glanced at each other.

As their eyes met, Anadil's pale cheeks flushed a pink color and Hester looked away, seemingly embarrassed.

Dot raised her eyebrows in surprised

~

Sometime while Dot was not sharing their room, Hester had started to call Anadil by the nickname 'Ani'.

Every time, Anadil would look away quickly, a light pink dusting her cheeks.

Her new rats would even react as well, curling up closer to their owner.

~

The next time Dot saw something was in their second year.

While Dot changed and experimented with being more Ever-like, Hester and Anadil stayed the same.

They stuck together and didn't let anything change them or their friendship...

Well, actually, something had changed.

The two of them seemed... closer? But there also seemed to be an unspoken thing between the pair.

Anadil fed her rats as usual, the three playfully running around her feet.

They acted normal... that is until Hester said two very special sentences.

"No one likes boys! Even girls who like boys can't stand them!" Hester kept speaking, but now neither Dot nor Anadil were listening.

Anadil's rats had stopped playing and were all looking at Hester with wide eyes.

Anadil didn't let herself act any differently, but Dot could tell exactly how she must be feeling from the way her rats reacted, all petrified and not moving.

Dot was always good at reading people.

She could see Anadil's hands awkwardly twisting in her lap.

Dot still hadn't figured out exactly what was happening, but she could tell Anadil was still having a mini heart attack.

~

The next time she saw it, the coven and Agatha were walking down the halls.

"Hester, one kiss and we're back to Good and Evil," Anadil said, cozying up next to Hester as they wove through girls.

Hester's face turned a bit red at the word 'kiss' while Anadil held onto her arm with surprising affection.

Dot raised an eyebrow.

Hester too?

~

The next time was in the Trial by Tale.

Hester had been stabbed by Aric's knife and Anadil had let out a rather surprisingly high pitched squeal.

"HESTER!"

Anadil's rats scurried across the forest floor and into Hester's boot, throwing her handkerchief to the ground.

Hester's black eyes widened, looking into Anadil's bright red ones as she disappeared.

~

The next year at school really was the last piece of evidence she needed for her suspicion.

Every time the Coven walked past Aric, Anadil's rats would scurry to Hester's shoulders and sit on her protectively.

Dot knew what it was, finally.

It was that same night when she figured it out, sitting on her bed while the other two witches slept.

Dot didn't believe it at first, but the evidence was daunting.

Anadil... had a crush on Hester.

Anadil, as in the albino that feared nothing and took crap from absolutely no one, had a crush on Hester, also known as the tattooed witch that only showed the emotions hate and anger.

Dot wondered if Hester felt the same about Anadil... but it was hard to check when Hester showed almost no emotions.

Well, Dot would just have to become Anadil's wingman.

Dot glanced at the sleeping albino and wondered if even she knew how she felt...

Knowing how much those two repressed, neither of them would know until they were on their deathbeds (if even then) without Dot's help.

And that's what a henchman like Dot was for, she guessed.

~

So that's how Dot ended up, once again two years later, in sitting on the same bed as she tried to, yet again, get information out of Anadil.

"So, Anadil, I heard Ravan was flirting with Hester."

It was a flippant comment, but Anadil looked up.

Her rats stopped what they were doing and all looked at Dot.

"What?"

"Yeah. He was talking to her in Advanced Henchmen Training."

Anadil nodded and tried to get back to her work.

After about two minutes of failed attempts to get back to her homework, Anadil looked back up at her.

"What did he say?" her monotone voice asked.

Her rats all scurried off the bed and to the floor, still looking at Dot.

"Oh, just something about how he heard Sophie was trying to get another Never Ball and that he wanted to go with her."

The second rat let out a loud squeak before Anadil squished it with her boot to silence it.

Dot barely stopped herself from smirking.

"How'd she react?" Anadil asked, fiddling with a string on the blanket.

"She punched him," Dot said.

Anadil couldn't keep the smile off of her face at the words.

"Sounds like her."

"I'm pretty sure she wants to go with someone else."

Dot didn't say anything else, pretending not to pay attention to how Anadil stared at her.

"Really?" asked Anadil.

Dot looked up and pretended not to have heard her.

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

~

"I heard Ravan asked you to the dance Sophie's planning."

Hester looked up at Anadil.

"Yeah."

"Where'd you punch him?" Anadil asked.

Hester smirked.

"Stomach."

Dot stuck her nose in her book to not let them see her smirking.

She peeked over the top of the book.

"Anyone else ask you?" Anadil asked.

Her rats all eyed Hester.

"Not after what happened to Ravan."

Anadil smirked.

"Vex asked me the other day," Anadil said.

Hester looked up from her work.

"What?"

Hester's pencil snapped in her hand.

Anadil's eyes shot to the pencil.

Half of it lay on the table while the other was clutched in Hester's fist.

"My rats started biting him."

Hester nodded, her black eyes narrowing slightly before going back to writing.

That week, Hester made sure to be merciless with Vex.

Anadil smirked every time Hester attacked him.

Dot was very smug the entire time.

~

With all the excitement from getting out of the school, Dot didn't seem to notice any moments between her two friends.

But she did remember their night spent in Avalon.

The three witches had spent the night sharing a bed.

That morning, Dot was, for the first time ever, the first one awake.

She extracted herself from the tangle of limbs and looked at the two witches.

Hester and Anadil were both sprawled out on the bed, Hester's arm wrapped around Anadil's waist. Anadil's right arm held onto Hester's and her left was spread out where Dot had been sleeping. Hester's leg lazily laid across Anadil's and the albino snuggled closer to Hester. Anadil's rats laid on Hester's hair, one of their tails curled around Hester's ear.

Dot wished she could take a picture, but she did the second best thing.

She called over everyone else so they could look at the two absolutely adorable witches.

"Didn't know they were so... close," Agatha said a bit awkwardly, clearly asking a question in her subtext.

"I didn't know Hester was human," Sophie added.

"Are they...?" Agatha trailed off.

"Not yet, but I'm working on it."

Agatha's eyes lit up.

"I'll help."

"Help with what?" Sophie asked.

Agatha gave the blond girl a disappointed look before quietly explaining it to her

Sophie made a loud gasping sound before Agatha slapped a hand over Sophie's mouth.

Anadil moved and Dot's eyes widened.

She shoved everyone out of the room as Anadil woke up.

The albino awoke to find a strange weight on her stomach and legs.

For a moment, Anadil panicked and wondered what was on her.

That is until she moved and heard a familiar sound.

"Mmmhhh," Hester groaned, pulling Anadil closer to her in her sleep.

Anadil blushed and tried not to pay attention to her racing heartbeat.

Sophie's eyes widened and she practically squealed.

Agatha and Dot exchanged a look, both of them showing how adorable they found the exchange.

~

When Hester awoke, Anadil practically bolted from Hester's arms.

The tattooed witch didn't seem to notice as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.

The pair made their way fo breakfast before either of them noticed anything.

Everyone watched as Hester took a bite and a rat suddenly untangled from her hair and attacked the fork, stealing the food.

Hester's eyes widened and she stared at the rat.

Everyone watched in silence, waiting for Hester to attack the rat.

Anadil stared at Hester with worry in her eyes.

"Hester, she didn't mean t-"

Hester grabbed the rat and put it back on her shoulder before continuing to eat.

Hester looked up to see everyone looking at her.

"What?" She asked aggressively.

There was a chorus of 'nothing!'s before people went back to eating.

Hester slipped a bit of food off her plate and set it on her shoulder, allowing the three rats to fight over it as she continued to eat.

Anadil didn't stop looking at Hester for a solid minute, just staring at her with wide eyes and her mouth slightly open.

When breakfast ended, Hester felt the rats scurry up her hair and hide on different parts of her head.

"Ani, do you want your rats back?"

Anadil reached to take one, but the rat scurried down Hester's neck and into her shirt collar.

Hester shivered slightly at the rat's feet as it ran.

Hester shrugged and walked off to listen to Merlin.

Anadil watched as one of the rats, rat number two, scurried from Hester's head to her ear.

Hester didn't even react.

Anadil wasn't sure why, but the small action made her hear beat ten times as fast as before.

During the meeting, one of the rats fell from Hester's head (something that happened quite commonly when the rats were excited for playful) and she caught it in her hand with surprising gentleness.

Anadil expected Hester to hand it to her, but she instead opened her hand and allowed the rat to scurry up her shirtsleeve.

Anadil didn't know it, but the way she looked at Hester was more than enough to make Agatha and Sophie realize that Anadil was head over heels for Hester.

~

"Agatha, something's wrong with me."

Agatha looked up and saw Anadil standing at the edge of the table she sat at, leaning across it.

"Are you hurt?" Agatha asked worriedly, looking her up and down.

Anadil shook her head and ran a hand through her hair, seemingly surprised that she didn't find a single rat in it.

"I'm feeling... odd." The cryptic words made Agatha raise an eyebrow.

"How so?"

"Like my stomach is a churning cauldron," Anadil said. "And like there's rats running up my stomach lining."

Agatha gave her a concerned look.

"You mean butterflies?"

Anadil frowned.

Agatha shook her head.

"When's this happening?" she asked.

Anadil's cheeks turned pink and she shook her head.

"Doesn't matter," Anadil snapped.

"Well... it sounds like a crush."

Anadil's eyes popped and for a moment she just stood there.

Then, Anadil glared at her.

"Whatever," she mumbled before hurrying out of the room.

~

Anadil shook her head as she watched Hester seat at a rat as it tried to bite her ear. She didn't hit it (perhaps purposefully), but the rat squeaked anyways.

Anadil didn't have a crush on Hester.

First, Anadil was a Never and she couldn't have a crush.

Second, Hester was a girl and Anadil was a girl.

Third, Hester and Anadil were best friends. They weren't anything... more than that. They never would be and that was perfectly normal.

Then why did that make Anadil's heart sink?

Why did it make her feel all... depressed? Disappointed?

Anadil let out a growl and shook her head.

Stupid Agatha getting in her head.

~

Hester glanced over at Anadil, seeing the albino growling and glaring at Agatha for seemingly no reason.

Was she missing her rats?

Hester would never say anything... but she honestly didn't want to give Anadil's rats back.

She liked the way they scampered up and down her arms and neck. She liked the way it made her feel to know that Anadil's rats cared about her...

Hester hated emotions, hated that she had them too, and she hated that Anadil made her... feel emotions.

She didn't get why, but she knew that she did.

Hester felt a rat scurry down her sleeve and toward her hand.

She flipped her hand so that her palm faced upward and she could hold rat three.

She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she could tell the rats apart.

Only Anadil and herself could do that. Even Dot just guessed.

Hester glanced up and say Anadil shaking her head as if upset about something.

Hester tried not to sigh as she grabbed the first two rats.

She set them down on Anadil's shoulder as she walked by, hearing three indignant squeaks.

~

Anadil frowned as she caught rat two.

Hester sat back down and made her sulking face.

Hester always claimed she didn't sulk, but Anadil knew better.

Why was Hester sulking?

And why did she give back her rats after she'd been sitting with them for half an hour?

Anadil glanced back at Hester as she sat on the couch, one knee up to her chest and the other drifted over the arm rest. Her face was more displeased than usual, her eyes a bit disappointed.

Anadil needed to talk to her.

But she wasn't sure she was... comfortable talking to her now...

Because... she decided that Agatha, the dumb bug eyed tramp, was right.

She had a crush on Hester.

If Agatha had just kept her mouth shut she wouldn't have to deal with this. She could have lived in peaceful ignorance and not have to deal with this.

She sighed and looked at the still sulking Hester.

Anadil wanted to talk to her, but instead she just kept thinking about what Agatha said and felt her cheeks turn red at the thought of the two of them having a private conversation.

Hester finally saw Anadil looking in her lap dejectedly.

Hester rolled her eyes and let out a huff.

Hester stood and strode over to Anadil.

The albino looked up just as Hester grabbed onto her shirt collar, pulling her out of her seat.

Anadil let out a surprised sound, almost a rat-like squeak, as Hester grabbed her.

Her pale white skin turned bright red and she stumbled, almost falling.

Hester turned around and steadied her, their faces coming super close.

Anadil's heart thundered in her ears.

"Where are we going?" Anadil asked as she regained her ability to speak.

"We're going outside so you can tell me what's wrong with you," Hester said as they stepped outside.

She brought the to a fallen log, plopping down onto it.

"So what's wrong with you?" asked Hester.

Anadil blushed, thankful for the darkness.

"Nothing."

Hester looked over at her with her black eyes.

"Cut the crap, Ani."

Anadil sighed.

"Agatha just... never mind."

Anadil tried to stand, but Hester grabbed onto her hand.

Anadil could feel her palm sweating under Hester's.

Hester pulled Anadil back onto the log beside her.

"What'd that bug eyed tramp say?" Hester asked a bit angrily... almost aggressively.

Anadil tells herself that she's imagining the redness on Hester's face.

"Agatha..."

Anadil trailed off as she saw Hester's black eyes not looking into hers.

They were looking... at Anadil's lips.

Hester leaned toward her a bit and Anadil's heart beat faster.

"What did Agatha do?" Hester asked, seemingly realizing how close she was and tearing her eyes from Anadil.

But Anadil was done being scared. She was fine waiting.

Anadil snatched onto Hester's shirt collar and pulled her forward, much as Hester had pulled her outside.

Anadil connected their lips and Hester stayed still, shocked at the sudden contact.

Anadil felt the word melt away around her, the only important thing in the world was Hester and her lips pressed against Anadil's own.

Anadil worried she had misread Hester's looks and pulled back.

Anadil opened her eyes and met Hester's black ones, which had just flashed open.

Anadil felt her heart sinking-that is until Hester's hands reached out and grabbed onto Anadil's cheeks.

She pulled her back into another kiss.

Anadil gasped right before their lips met for the second time.

Anadil reached back out and rested her hands on Hester's hips.

As they kissed, Anadil's rats scurried from her hair and down onto Hester's hands, running up Hester's arms and into her hair.

The two pulled apart for a moment to catch their breath.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to o that," Anadil said.

"Then shut up and let's do it again," Hester whispered, leaning bacj forward.

There was a squeal from the bushes beside them and the two girls leapt apart, eyes shooting across the forest.

They spotted Dot, Sophie, and Agatha hiding, poorly, in the bushes.

Hester's face flushed a dark crimson color and demon swelled, flying off her neck and shooting toward the three.

Dot had been the one to squeal, but of course the demon attacked Sophie, as always.

Agatha had a smile that was equal parts smug and proud.

Anadil looked anywhere but at the three girls.

"SOMEONE HELP!" Sophie shouted as she sprinted away from Hester's demon.

Agatha sighed and raised a glowing finger at Hester's demon.

Anadil quickly shot a stun spell at Agatha.

Anadil glared at Agatha, acting surprisingly protective of Hester.

Agatha pulled herself off the ground with a grunt.

There were many questions from the three girls, most of them from Sophie.

"Hester, since when have you had a soul?"

One of Anadil's rats started biting Sophie.

Hester and Anadil didn't answer any of the three girls' questions, instead just going back into the small cottage.

As Hester opened the door, Anadil slipped her hand into Hester's slowly.

Hester glanced down in surprise and then looked back up at Anadil.

They weren't sure what was going to happen, weren't sure they were going to survive the week honestly, but they did know one thing.

That whatever this was... this was real.

This was love.


End file.
